Writing the College Essay

Miss Waferling
English 12
Purpose of the College Essay
To show you as a person, not just
statistics
To distinguish you from all other
applicants
To demonstrate your ability to write
and express yourself at a high
academic level
Three Main Types of Prompts
1. Why you?
2. Why this college?
3. Creative
1. Why you?
What sets you apart?
What do you think about a certain
issue?
What defines you as a person,
student, a sibling, an athlete, a
worker?
Example Why you? prompts:

Evaluate a significant experience,
achievement, or risk that you have taken
and its impact on you.
Discuss some issue of personal, local,
national or international concern and its
importance to you.
Indicate a person, character in fiction, an
historical figure, or a creative work (as in art,
music, etc.) who has had a significant
influence on you, and describe that
influence.
2. Why this university?
Avoid mentioning the history of the school.
My personal hero, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar,
attended UCLA.
USC was founded in 1880, the same year my
great great great grandfather bought his house-
-the same house we live in today.
Avoid platitudes
Stanford is a really great school.
Focus on demonstrating your knowledge of
specialized programs and majors offered
that match your interests.
Example Why this university?
prompt:
Why do you want to spend two to six
years of your life at a particular
college, graduate school, or
professional school? How is the
degree necessary to the fulfillment of
your goals?
3. Creative
You pick the format and/or the content

You still need to demonstrate your ability to
write and express yourself at a high academic
level

Writing a creative piece is EXTREMELY RISKY
unless you are applying to a creative writing
program or you are SIMPLY AWESOME at
creative pieces
Getting Started
Step 1: Choose a Topic
One central experience (disaster, miracle,
family incident, etc.)
One theme (what you believe is the purpose
of life, the vastness of the universe, working
hard is the way to dreams, etc.)
Choose a fresh topic, one that millions won't
already have written about
Consider Writing about the Following:
Getting Started
Step 2: Brainstorm supporting
details,
experiences, stories, images
Concrete
Meaningful
Relevant
Writing the Essay
Step 3: Follow the prompt!
If it says 1000 words, don't go over!
If it says double-spaced, double
space!
Make sure you answer the question!
This is not a time to take risks or be
careless!
Writing the Essay
Step 4: Follow good writing rules
Have a powerful opening sentence
I am a changed person. Three years ago, I realized
that people are important.
Three years ago, my mind was reborn.
Use concrete examples to support your
statements
Every day, I get up early to help my grandmother.
When the sun reaches the horizon, I am already
carrying my grandmother's tamales to the
neighbors.
Avoid clichs, contractions, and big words
Powerful essays are original, formal, and don't need a
dictionary
Write your own essay, and use your own words

Writing the Essay
Avoid unnecessarily long sentences
Write clearly
Have a variety of sentence lengths
Have a strong conclusion
Don't just repeat your essay
If you used a story or image in the
opening part of the essay, mention it
in the ending, with a new meaning or
twist.
Writing the Essay
Show, don't tell
My family is very traditional.
Each March, we place sprigs of rosemary
and thyme outside our front door to
commemorate the end of winter.

Write about what you know
Be sincere
Don't try to impress the admissions board
Writing the Essay
Step 5: Edit
Don't be in love with the sound of your
own writing
Cut out anything that doesnt need to
be there
If you can say it in 4 paragraphs, get
rid of that 5th paragraph
Self-edit
Get others to edit your essay
Final Thoughts
Essays take time and a lot of work
Start early, and abandon an essay if
its not working for you
Use resources and people to help
you, but dont use other peoples
words
Homework:
Step 1: Identify the prompt that you would like
to respond to for this assignment.
Step 2: Identify what type of essay you are
going to be writing.